1. Field
Example embodiments of the following disclosure relate to a method and apparatus for processing a depth image, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for processing a depth image based on an integration time used to generate the depth image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Time-of-Flight (ToF) depth camera provides two-and-a-half-dimensional (2.5D) information of a scene. With respect to 2.5D, a method may provide depth information for a visible surface.
The ToF depth camera may include a light emitting diode (LED), which radiates an infrared (IR) signal, and a sensor, which detects the IR signal. The IR signal transmitted from the LED bounces off an object and returns to the sensor that detects the IR signal. For example, the IR signal may correspond to an IR light.
A travel time of the IR signal may be calculated from a phase difference between the IR signal transmitted from the ToF depth camera and the IR signal detected by the ToF depth camera. The ToF depth camera may generate a ToF depth image by generating an image based on a distance converted from the calculated travel time of the IR signal. That is, the ToF depth image may represent the distance between the camera and the object in view of the camera, the distance being converted from the travel time of the IR signal.
The phase difference between the IR signals may be calculated indirectly by measuring an intensity of the IR signal detected by the sensor based on two or four phases. For example, the intensity of the IR signal may correspond to an intensity of an IR light.
Further, an integration time may refer to a sum of the time to measure the intensity of the IR signal based on each phase. When the object or the ToF depth camera is moved during the integration time, a motion blur may occur in a generated ToF depth image taken with the ToF depth camera.
Therefore, there is a need for improved depth image processing.